Sean Duffy Takes His Social Security Privatization Cover-Up To The Airwaves

Sean Duffy (WI-07) has been engaged in an avid cover-up scheme to hide his support of Congressman Paul Ryan’s Roadmap to privatize Social Security, end Medicare as we know it, and raise middle class taxes. Despite being an avid supporter of Congressman Ryan’s roadmap, Duffy has taken his cover-up attempt to the airwaves in a commercial filled with lies.

Again yesterday, Sean Duffy was holding his second joint appearance this week with Congressman Ryan. At the first event of the week on Monday, Duffy was caught on camera again endorsing the Roadmap.

“This ad does nothing more than cement Sean Duffy’s deceitful attempts to hide from Wisconsin Seniors his plan to privatize Social Security,” said Gabby Adler, Midwestern Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “The facts show that if Sean Duffy had his way Paul Ryan’s plan to privatize Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher program would be the law of the land, and our retirement dollars would be turned over to the greedy Wall Street CEOs.”

BACKGROUND:

Duffy Held His Second Event Of The Week With Congressman Paul Ryan:

Sean Duffy has his second event of the week with Congressman Paul Ryan schedule for today, September 2, 2010 in Madison Wisconsin at 5:00 pm CT. Guests of the event are being asked to pay $150 per couple.

During Sean Duffy’s First Event Of The Week With Paul Ryan He Endorsed Ryan’s Roadmap:

Sean Duffy attended a fundraiser with Congressman Paul Ryan on Monday, August 30, 2010 where Duffy endorsed the “Roadmap for America” saying, “I’m running for Congress. We need to pick up 39 seats in the U.S. House to take away Nancy Pelosi’s gavel...if we do that, we make Congressman Ryan a Chairman. We’re going to start talking about his roadmap for America, getting America back on track and actually being a backstop to President Obama and Harry Reid, should he win, in the Senate.” [Sean Duffy Supports Paul Ryan's Roadmap, accessed 9/1/10]

On Mike Gousha’s Upfront show in May, Duffy again endorsed Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap for America.” When asked what he would do to address Medicare and Social Security costs, Duffy said, “I think Paul Ryan has some very good ideas in his Roadmap for America.” Duffy went on to say, “Social Security, um, people [who] are 55 and older are looking for that in their retirement, but folks that are in their early 50s, 40s, in the late 30s like me, we realize that that system’s not going to be there for us when we get to the age of retirement.” [Upfront with Mike Gousha, 5/23/10]

Traditional retirement benefits would be reduced below those scheduled under current law for many workers who are age 55 or younger in 2011... A system of individual accounts would be established in 2012. In that year, workers who are age 55 or younger would be able to participate in voluntary individual accounts, funded with a portion of their payroll taxes. [Congressional Budget Office, 1/27/10]

Ezra Klein of The Washington Post explains the implications Ryan's budget alternative would have on Social Security:

“Social Security gets guaranteed, private accounts that CBO says will actually cost more than the present arrangement, further underscoring how ancillary the program is to our budget problem.” [Washington Post, 2/1/10]